Trunk-strap and fastener therefor



H. s. Wl'T HAM. TRUNK STRAP AND FASTENER THEREFOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20, 1920. 1,376,240.

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Patented Apr. 26

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TRUNK-STRAP AND FASTENER ClI-IEREFOl-t.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 26, 1921.

Application filed October 20, 1920. Serial No. 418,307.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HOMER S. WrrI-IAM, a citizen of the United States,residing at Jacksonville, in the county of Duval and State of Florida,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk-Straps andFasteners Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trunk straps and fasteners therefor of thetype used for tightening and fastening the strap after the trunk isclosed.

The object of the invention is to provide simple and efficient trunkfastening means of this character which are designed as substitutes forleather trunk straps being connected so as to securely retain the trunkin closed position, all of the parts being composed of metal whereby thelife thereof is greatly prolonged.

Another object is to provide fasteners for the straps which areconnected to take up the concentrated pressure of the straps and causethem to slide properly during the tightening thereof.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction as hereinafter shown and described, andthen specifically pointed out in the claims, and in the drawingsillustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the portion of a trunk bodyand its top with .the improved fastener and strap constituting thisinvention shown applied, the fastener being open, and

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the fastener shown closed.

In the embodiment illustrated the trunk body B and its top T havemounted thereon metal panels or plates 1 and 10, respectively, saidplates being so positioned as to aline transversely of the trunk whenapplied and the top is in closed position.

The plate 1 which is secured to the body '13 by any suitable means isprovided at its upper end with an aperture 2 for a purpose presently tobe described. Projecting from the outer face of plate 1 are twolongitudinally extending laterally spaced parallel ribs 3 and 4preferably made integral with plate 1 and which carry on their innerfaces catch members 6. These catch members 6 are in the form ofresilient metal strips secured at one end to the ribs 8 and 4 while attheir free ends they are provided with outwardly and laterallyprojecting studs 5 for a purpose presently to be described. Projectinglaterally outward from the catch members 6 midway the ends thereof aretwo push buttons 7 which slide freely in apertures formed in the ribs 3and 4 and are adapted by compression to retract the studs 5 for apurpose presently to be described.

The trunk straps are each composed of two laterally spaced high gradecrucible steel wires 8 which are connected at one end with the lower endof plate 1 and extend around the body of the trunk up over the topthereof and connected with a slide 11 presently to be described.

Mounted on the trunk and top at intervals are alined guides 9 for thewires 8, said guides being shown in the form of metal castings havinglongitudinal grooves in their faces in which the wires 8 are guided topermit them to slide freely when tightened and to prevent lateralmovement thereof.

The plate 10 which is carried by the top T has undercut longitudinallyextending side flanges 10 in which the slide 11 is mounted toreciprocate for tightening or loosening the wires 8 constituting thetrunk strap. The slide 11 has a plurality of rear wardly inclined rackteeth 12 with which are designed to be adjustably engaged a substantially rectangular wire loop 18 which connects said slide with alever 15.

Longitudinally disposed guards 13 and 14 are arranged over the rackteeth 12 and are designed to retain the loop-shaped wire 18 connectedwith the slide 11, the end cross bar of said loop being of a lengthsubstantially equal to the length of the teeth and the side bars thereoffitting outside the guards 13 and 14..

The lever 15 is shown in the form of a substantially rectangular metalplate having outturned side flanges 16 through which the fulcrum 15 ofthe lever passes at one. end and is mounted in apertured ears 1O carriedby plate 10 near its lower end. The flanges 16 have apertures 17 attheir outer ends, the aperture inone flange registering with that intheother and which are designed to receive the studs 5 carried by theture 2. V the loop-shaped wire 18 has its free end engaged with one oithe teeth 12 of slide latch members 6 when the fastener is in closedoperative position.

A latch member 19 in the form of a metal bar or plate is pivoted at oneend between apertured ears 10 arrangedin advance of the ears 10 inplanes inside that occupied by said ears as is shown clearly in 1. Theplate 19 has a tongue 20 onit-s inner face, the inner edge of which isundercut as shown at 20 forming a hook-like member whichis designed toenter the aperture 2 in plate 1 when the fastener is closed and assistin retaining the trunk in closed position. This plate 19 has its outerend outturned to form a finger grip 21 to facilitate the opening of thelatch.

In the use of this combined trunk strap and fastener, the trunk tophaving been closed asshown in Fig. 1 the latch member 19 is shut beingmoved downwardly until the tongue 20 thereof enters and has a hooklikeengagement with the walls oi? the aper- After the latch 19 has beenclosed 11 and then the leverlfi with which said loop is connected ismoved downwardly thereby forcibly moving slide 11 down with it andexerting a tightening action on the wires 8. When the lever15 is movedto its extreme downward limit, over the latch 19, the, catch members 6on plate 1 the studs 5 of said members will engage with the aper- .tures17 in the lever as shown in dig. 2 and owing to the resiliency oi thestrips 6 will operate to hold the lever in closed position. When it isdesired to release the fastener the push buttons 7 are moved inwardlysimultaneously a sufficient distance to retract the studs 5 anddisengage them from the apertures 17 in lever 15. The tension of thewires 8 will then assist in the opening of 'said lever 15 until itreaches the position shown in Fig. 1. After lever 15 has been openedthelatch 19 is raised thus releasing the trunk top and permitting it to bei opened in the usual manner. I

lVhile onestrap only has been described above, it is tov be understoodthat two or more maybe used according to 'the'size of the trunk, twobeing usually employed.

A trunk strap and fastener constructed as above described being composedentirely of metal will obviously outlast a number of leather straps suchas are ordinarily used 7 on trunks and the high grade steel wires 8 willresist great strain. I

The preferred embodiment oi the invention is disclosed in the drawingsand set forth in the specification, but it will be understood that anymodifications within the scope of the claims may be made in theconstruction without departing from the principle of the invention orsacrificing any f of its advantages.

other plate to be attached to a trunk top.-

to aline with the body carried plate, a slide mounted on one of saidplates, a lever i'ulorumed on said slide carrying plate and connectedwith the slide, and cooperating means carried by said lever and theother plate to tighten the strap and lock the plates connected. r

2. The combination with a trunk strap; 01 a plate secured to one endthereof and adapted to be attached to a trunk body, another plate to beattached to a trunk top to aline with the first mentioned plate, aslidemounted on one of said plates, a lever tulcrumed on said slide carryingplate and adjustably connected with said slide, and cooperating meanscarried by said'leve'r and the other plate for tightening the strap andlocking the plates connected.

The combination with a trunk strap; of a plate secured to one end andadapted to be attached to a trunk body, another plate to be attached toa trunk top to aline adapted to be secured to a trunk body, an-

other plate to be attached to the trunk top, a slide carried by saidlast mentioned plate and having a plurality of longitudinally spacedteeth onits outer face, a lever tulcrumed at one end on said plate, a'rod connected with said lever intermediate its ends and ad ustablyengaged with the teeth of said slide, and cooperating means carried bysaid lever andthe other plate for looking the lever engaged with theplate.

5. The combination with a trunk strap composed of a high grade steelwire; of a plate secured to one end of said wire and adapted to besecured to a trunk body, another plate to be attached to the trunk top,a slide, carried by said last mentioned plate and having'a plurality oflongitudinally spaced teeth'on its outer face, a lever fulcrumed at oneend on said plate, a rod connected with said lever intermediate its endsand adjust-ably engaged with the teeth of said slide, and cooperatingmeans carried by said lever and the-other plate for looking the leverengaged with the plate,'said means comprising a spring pressed clutchmember carried by said plate, the lever having an aperture forengagement by said catch member.

6. A fastener for trunks and the like comprising two plates adapted tobe secured to the members to be fastened, one of said plates having alaterally projecting apertured rib, a resilient metal strip secured atone end to one face of said rib and having a laterally extending studpassing through the aperture in said rib, the other plate having a leverfulcrumed thereon and provided with an aperture to receive said studwhen the lever is in closed position, and means for depressing saidstrip to release the stud from the lever.

7. A fastener for trunks and the like comprising two plates to besecured to the members to be connected, one of said plates having alaterally projecting rib provided with a plurality of longitudinallyspaced apertures, a resilient metal strip secured at one end to one faceof said rib and having a stud and a-push button passing through theapertures in the rib, the other plate having a lever fulcrumed at oneend thereto, and provided with an apertured flange for engagement withsaid stud, the push button being depressible to disengage the stud fromthe lever.

8. The combination with a receptacle having a hinged top, a platesecured to the body of said receptacle, another plate secured to the topthereof in position to line with the first mentioned plate when the topis closed,

a pair of laterally spaced high grade steel wires secured to the firstmentioned plate and adapted to pass around the body and top of thereceptacle, grooved castings carried by said body and top to form guidesfor said wires, a slide connected with the free ends of said wires andmounted to reciprocate on the top carried plate, and a lever connectedwith said slide, said lever and the first mentioned plate havingcooperating locking means to hold the lever in closed position.

9. A fastener for trunks and the like comprising two plates to besecured to the members to be connected and arranged in position to alinewith each other, one of said plates having an aperture therein, and apivoted latch carried by the other plate and provided with a hook-shapedtongue to engage said aperture to lock the plates connected.

10. A fastener for trunks and the like comprising two plates to besecured to the members to be connected and arranged in position to alinewith each other, one of said plates having an aperture therein, and apivoted latch carried by the other plate, said latch having a lateralextension on its lower face with the inner edge undercut to form ahook-like member to enter and interlockingly engage with the aperture inthe other plate.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature hereto.

HOMER S. WITHAM.

